One man charged, police seek two others after violent bank robbery in Halifax area

One man is facing a slew of robbery charges and police are looking for two more suspects after a Halifax-area bank was held up Thursday afternoon.

Halifax Regional Police responded to a report of a robbery at the Bank of Montreal on Nine Mile Drive near Larry Uteck shortly after 4 p.m.

Police say three masked men – one of whom had a handgun – entered the bank and demanded money from the clerk. Police say the armed man then struck the clerk in the head with a gun.

The suspects fled the bank with an undisclosed amount of money and left the scene in a grey Mazda 3, heading towards Larry Uteck Drive and then inbound toward Halifax on Highway 102.

The clerk was treated at the scene and did not go to hospital.

At 9:40 p.m., police located a vehicle on Indigo Walk in Spryfield that matched the description of the suspects’ vehicle. The officers spotted three men on Lemon Walk that they believed may have been involved in the robbery.

The men fled on foot as the officers approached and one was taken into custody following a foot chase.

The other two escaped into a wooded area. A K9 unit assisted police at the scene, but they were unable to locate the suspects.

Cory Frederick Salter, 31, of Dieppe, N.B., is facing charges of robbery with an imitation firearm, use of an imitation firearm in the commission of an offence, weapon dangerous to the public peace and several criminal breaches.

He remains in police custody and will appear in Halifax court on Monday.

Police have also issued an arrest warrant for 25-year-old Bradley Joseph Pearce, who they believe to be involved in the robbery.

Pearce is described as a five-foot-nine white man, about 160 pounds, with blue eyes and short, dark blonde hair.

Police urge members of the public not to approach him and call 911 if he is seen.